Nine Dead: Learjet 60 Crashes in Palm Beach County After Ice Buildup
Families of the seven passengers and two pilots released a joint statement identifying the victims of the Sunday crash near Greenacres, Florida.
By Mei Melnyk ·
A business jet crashed near Greenacres, Florida, on Sunday, killing all nine people on board. The aircraft, a Learjet 60, had departed from Austin, Texas, and was en route to the Bahamas when it went down. Federal Aviation Administration data indicates the pilot reported severe weather and turbulence issues prior to the accident.
The pilot began describing the process of managing ice accumulation shortly before declaring a Mayday. Multiple distress calls followed amid the severe weather conditions that were pushing through the region at the time. Officials stated that the weather may have been a factor in the crash.
Families of the victims released a joint statement on Monday identifying the passengers. The group included Adam Robinson and Helen Sharp, their children Emma, 4, and Charlie, 2, Rachael Reed, Charmi Fehr, and Anita Maria Cetina. The statement described Robinson and Sharp as devoted parents and the children as the light of their lives.
The families characterized Reed and Fehr as individuals full of joy and adventure who loved their people fiercely. They noted that Fehr and Reed were deeply loved and would be missed endlessly. Cetina, who cared for the children with tenderness, was described as truly part of the family.
The co-pilot was identified as Nathalia Filgueiras, 20. A local news affiliate interviewed her three years ago when she was a high school senior in Boca Raton. Filgueiras received her pilot's license before obtaining her driver's license. The captain was identified as Jeffrey Gregory, 55, according to a source with direct knowledge of the matter and a manifest obtained by CBS.
The families expressed gratitude to first responders, investigators, and the Palm Beach County community for their care. They also extended their condolences to the families of the pilots, who are grieving alongside them. The families asked for privacy as they mourn and said details about memorial services would be shared once arrangements are made.
Source: WFOR-TV
